Cats and other pets not only need their physical requirements of food, water and shelter to be met, but they also have emotional needs such as companionship, love and entertainment that should also be met. The stresses and time demands of modern life often make it difficult for pet owners to fulfill the physical requirements of pets. To help, automated food feeders and full, large water bowls can help tend to the physical needs of pets even when the owner is not present or busy. However, the emotional needs of pets are often difficult for absent or busy pet owners to provide.
Emotional needs are even more critical for young kittens that may find themselves alone for the first time in their lives. In the wild there would be an abundance of stimulation. But in a house with an absent or busy pet owner there is little to stimulate or entertain a kitten. Such lack of stimulus can lead to life-long insecurity which may manifest itself in destructive habits such as scratching. While the foregoing has generally described cats, other pets have similar emotional needs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a toy that can provide cats and other pets with stimulating entertainment not only when the owner is around but when the owner is not present or is otherwise unavailable for play.